Success

Not that I'm completely giving up on the season - but I kind of am. We're not passing the eye test in any way right now. Get in the playoffs, and any team can go on a run. But we'd need so much luck, and we're not a good road team regardless. This seems to be more the Pats year. I don't think they're winning a SB, but it's their year to win the division and probably have a deeper run. I'm not okay w/ that, but I'm okay w/ it in the sense that they'll get the tougher schedule next year. IF we have a good offseason, can dump some cumbersome contracts, get a real #1 WR and make needed changes, we'll be in better position next year to grab a top seed. Big ifs, I know.

He's alright. He's one of our better defenders against the run. But no doubt, very disappointing overall.

It's both Beane & McDermott. One thing that I will never understand is why we do not hire REAL COORDINATORS. We have a puppet on the defensive side, and a promote-from-within with no OC experience on the other. How is that even possible when you have a talent like Allen at QB? Why aren't we taking coaching seriously?

Seems like the wheels are falling off. All of a sudden, we are in a situation where it seems like a rebuild is in order, and not a typical retool. I'm usually pretty hopeful, but that took a big hit yesterday. I realized that we're just another team - we can't reel off a couple of TD's in a quarter easily if we need it anymore. We're not explosive on offense, and have one of the most vanilla/soft defenses I think I've ever seen in Buffalo. There is no quick fix. Other teams are starting to move past us as they ascend, and while we're regressing. The reality is starting to hit: we might not get a title w/ Allen.

I keep wondering if the team feels like we do. They probably do. For us, nothing really matters but a SB now. We're not excited about the regular season, or regular season games - we have a spirited thread going right now about whether this team is even fun to watch now. And I have to believe the team feels that way. I don't think this is fun for them anymore. They're pros and should be able to rise above that, but human psychology is human psychology.

We aren't able to pressure opposing QB's. That really stands out. I'd love to add, "but at least we're stout against the run."

I'll zag a little. I think it really helps to have a mini-bye right now. Most of the injuries don't seem too serious, and getting Kincaid back will have a big impact. @Pittsburgh- Win vs Cincinnati- Win @ NE- Win @ Cle- Win vs Phil- Loss vs NYJ- Win 12-5 & win the WC game. Likely lose the divisional.

We tend to have very good Decembers. I'll give McDermott that - we close strong. This is a different team, though. We really can't impose our will on other teams like we used to, or score as prolifically. But it's also a different year for the AFC. Every team out there is pretty flawed. There is always hope.

And the Colts & Pats are in the AFCCG again. Like, really universe? We get that life isn't fair, but it doesn't have to be unbearably cruel, either. Are we getting a little "Platoon" there?

I'll tell ya - being a Bills fan is definitely not for the weak.

This post cheered me up. It's excellent perspective. Heck, if the Bengals can pull of an upset this weekend, we're right back in the mix for the division.

Just to zag a bit - we definitely DO have points in every season that feel like this. And we literally always finish strong. We're an amazing December team. And we wouldn't feel nearly as low if the Pats weren't having their resurgence - which I agree w/ Newton is kind of fool's gold right now, but they will win the division barring something unusual. I'll still get stoked if we make the playoffs, though - and keep on hoping.

Yeah - good point in the 1st part there. We just find new ways to beat ourselves. Turnovers, penalties, poor execution, poor play calls. And I don't want to take anything away from the Texans. That D had an inspired effort tonight, and they deserved to win. But as we've seen a few times this season, we also made it much easier for them. I don't know who this team is right now. I'm definitely not used to our offense struggling like this. It's hard to watch Josh take so many sacks, and many because there was simply no one open - and that was easy to see on some of the wide angles.

I'd have some faith we could make a run this year if we had a high seed - but winning 3 on the road seems like way too tall of a mountain to climb for this team.

I get that, and I spend most of my time trying to appreciate what we have now. But it's also brutal watching one lost season after another w/ such a generational talent. We lucked out w/ Allen, and we're just blowing it.

The comforting part of that is that it now looks like we'll have to win 3 games on the road to get to a SB, if we even make the playoffs. Anyone else a wide right alumnus? What a fan experience this has been for my entire life. Almost beyond comprehension. And Pats fans are always like, "opposing fans are just jealous." Hell yeah - hell yeah.

We're not well coached. I mean, the flags all season alone. No discipline. Can we return a kick without getting a flag?

Definitely not. Tough to get to this point of the Allen era. We sort of have that "SB or bust" mentality that Pats fans had for years - but without the titles to rest our laurels on. The Ravens comeback was fun, and the KC game. The Bucs game was okay. Otherwise, this is a slog, and depressing.

I could 2nd guess some stuff like that. But the bottom line is that we didn't come close to deserving that game. That was an absolutely dominant effort & win for the Texans. It never felt like we were in it after we gave up the lead. We scored one offensive TD.

Too many injuries, not enough talent, and bad coaching. I have never seen that in recipe for a Super Bowl title. I'm pretty sad. I'm sure that should make lurking AFCE fans happy. But man, it takes so much internal fortitude to keep getting up for each season, for each game. We need a reward. Even bad dogs get rewards sometimes.

I'm pulling for a win here, obviously - but this team is SO flawed. Even in a middlin' year for the league, this just seems futile. I'll keep going back to the WR position. Organizational arrogance.

Watching defensive players play so much better when they move on from the Bills is a real indictment of our staff & schemes.

Let's just tie it up. Ugly game - but if we can just get a TD drive, we can steal it. The D has picked it up.

With how good their D is - if you're not gonna sneak Josh there, that was the spot to go for a TD & have Josh roll out. But they should have just had Josh sneak. I don't understand so many of our 4th down calls this year.

If we had the Texans defense, we'd win Super Bowls for the next decade.